Nine blooming golds for Leighton-Linslade!

Leighton-Linslade is celebrating its best-ever year at Anglia in Bloom after learning today (Thursday) it had picked up NINE gold awards.

At the prestigious 21st anniversary awards ceremony in Great Yarmouth, those attending from the town heard that Leighton-Linslade had retained its Gold award in the City category (35,001 - 200,000 residents). Norwich was the winner of that section, with Bury St Edmonds the overall winner of the whole competition and the Large Town champion.

> Cemeteries (Under 10 Acres): Old Linslade Cemetery, which was also the category winner.

> Cemeteries (Over 10 Acres): Vandyke Road Cemetery.

> Best Public House: The Black Lion, The Golden Bell (Gold), The Stag, The Hare Inn.

The town also picked up two silver gilts in Parks (Medium 5 to 10 Acres) for Linslade Recreation Ground and Parson’s Close Recreation Ground, and The Swan Hotel earned a silver in the Best Public House section.

There were also two nominations in the special awards – Stephen Bennett’s allotment in the Grow Your Own section, and Pages Park Community Garden, which won the best Community Project.

And in the villages section (301 - 2,500 residents), Woburn picked up a silver gilt behind winner Filby. It also won the award for Best New Entry.

Bob Ollier, chairman of Anglia in Bloom said: “The Anglia in Bloom communities across the six counties of Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Norfolk & Suffolk should be justifiably proud of this year’s achievements.

“This year standards have continued on from last year with excellent awards achieved, the outstanding community work, many resourceful projects and superb floriferous displays have all added to fantastic community entries with 50 Gold, 27 Silver Gilt, 9 Silver, 1 Bronze awarded.

“The continued key to success has been community involvement where everyone gets involved and works together and then deliver great community projects, all communities are recognising the importance of sustainable displays coupled with good horticultural standards and delivering outstanding floral displays, these are all achieved through the support from sponsors and community groups engaged across the region, who are all dedicated to enhancing their community within Anglia in Bloom’s prestigious environmental campaign.

“I congratulate all the communities in the Anglia Region, for the enthusiasm, commitment and effort made to improve, develop and sustain local environments across our region, it is a great credit to you all.

“With 50 Gold Awards this year, the results were very close, several entrants were within just a few points, of achieving overall victory.”